It is becoming increasingly important that we monitor our environmental impact. Moving can be a lengthy process that contributes to landfill waste and air pollution. In fact, it has been recorded that in Nice alone, there are approximately 500 deaths per year caused by air pollution.
Moving internationally is a lengthy process that requires high amounts of road, air and/or sea travel, depending on where you are coming from. Every year, the collective population produces more than two billion tons of waste. Much of which is not managed nor disposed of properly.
Keeping these facts in mind, here is a list of things you can do to lower your environmental impact if you are in the process of moving:
1. Use Eco-friendly products and packaging
When cleaning up your home, make sure you are using products that are water safe. White vinegar, baking soda and lemon juice are great for cleaning and do not create toxic substances that need to be filtered out of the water supply or even chemically broken down. There are many brands that have created Eco-friendly cleaning products that work extremely well.
When packing up your home, you can also re-use old boxes you may have collected throughout the year. You can easily break them down and store them in an area where they won’t take up too much space. You can head over to your local grocery store, pharmacies or retail stores and ask them if they have extra boxes they could give you. Another option if to use re-usable moving boxes, which are sometimes offered by moving companies.
2. Donate and Recycle
Donate and recycle whatever you do not need anymore and are planning on throwing away. There are many people that can benefit from clothing or old furniture that you no longer want in your life. Another more popular way to get rid of old furniture is to re-sell pieces that you no longer want on Facebook Marketplace. This is also a great place to easily find furniture pieces that are either sold out or take a long time to ship in great condition and at a lower price.
3. Reduce Your Travel Footprint
There are Eco-friendly moving companies that will move your stuff in cars that run on biofuel. Fun fact: researchers have actually found a way to turn personal protective equipment such as surgical face masks and gloves into renewable liquid biofuel! With the amount of PPE being used now in our everyday lives, this is a great way of recycling harmful materials. If you are thinking about hiring a moving company, make sure to find one in your area that is environmentally conscious. There are several around Europe, and the price range varies from country to country.
